


The Mysterious Girl From The Academy

by MelindaTheCavalryMay



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Confession, F/M, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-03
Updated: 2015-03-03
Packaged: 2018-03-16 04:20:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3474236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MelindaTheCavalryMay/pseuds/MelindaTheCavalryMay
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for Philinda AU Challenge on Tumblr.</p><p>Phil met his soulmate on his first day at the academy, but he doesn't know who she is.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Mysterious Girl From The Academy

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't written Soulmate fictions before. I am not familiar with the subject, so please apologise for any errors.
> 
> I don't own AoS or Marvel. Just a big fan.

'They'd make a good pair', Coulson thought as he left the lounge in the playground to go back into his office. He's just seen yet another person he knew, find his soulmate, it was surprising how 2 people who came from different corners of the earth to work with SHIELD, turned out to be soulmates. He was happy that someone found their true love, their soulmate in his organisation. It was also kinda weird that there were already 3 such couples in his team. When he was given the bus, Skye and Simmons had found each other, later when SHIELD was destroyed and he was given the duty of rebuilding it, it had brought 2 more people, Bobby and Hunter together and now we're these 2 new young recruits. 

It felt nice to see when people found their soulmates at this young age, he had found his when he was in his twenty, his soulmate, the girl who was his true love, with whom he was 'meant to be', the only problem was that, he had no idea who she was, he had no idea if she thought of him as her true love, and definitely if they were meant to be, then she would've been here with him but she wasn't, because he had been stupid enough to be so shocked when he first met her, that he neither saw her face nor got her name. 

So here he was nearly 30 years later, still single, still in search for that girl, the girl who was meant to be his. There were times no doubt when he was frustrated, thought that maybe he'd never find her, he even tried moving on with Audrey, who had lost her soulmate at a young age, but he couldn't, he couldn't love Audrey the way he loved his soulmate, yes he had never really met her, and he had no idea where she was, but he knew he loved her, he always felt like that she was there with him,around him even though she wasn't, and that's what love feels like right ? 

He entered his office, shoulders sagging and a bit sad. He was supposed to be happy for these 2 youngsters who found each other, and he was, it's just that he wished his soulmate was with him to share this moment. She was a part of SHIELD, that much he knew, he had met her in the Academy, so yeah and he knew she wasn't dead, no he didn't have any proof of that, but he just felt she wasn't, she was always there with him, he could feel her presence, it's weird how you could have such a strong connection with someone you've never even met, so much that you can feel them around yourself, but that's what soulmates were supposed to be like right ? Connected, together, meant to be. 

He poured himself a glass of scotch and sat on the couch, remembering the day he had met her. 

\-----0000ooooo0000-----

First day at the academy. Excited youngsters all around, with big dreams in eyes, confidence in heart and faith on themselves. All set to spend 3 years, giving their best and then graduate to become SHIELD agents, save the world, protect people. Like superheroes, like Captain America. 

That's how Phil Coulson, felt when the last few minutes to the clock ticked before he'd complete his 3rd class on his first day as a SHIELD Academy student. He knew he was no Captain America and never would be, because c'mon ! There can be only one Captain America, yet he felt proud of himself, proud that he'd successfully taken the first steps towards fulfilling what Steve Rogers and Captain America wanted for the world. A safe and protected world where people could live peacefully. As the bell rang and students started getting up, he did too, History of SHIELD was an interesting subject and he was always a history buff , so yeah, but now he'd have to go to the next class, hand-to-hand combat. Even though he was quite well trained, normal training wouldn't work here, this was SHIELD and probably everyone coming here was trained, yet he would give his best. 

"Yo Captain! You coming or not ?" He heard a voice say and looked up to see the class was almost empty, everyone had moved out and Garret was at the door, his arm wrapped around a girl who was his soulmate! Yeah.. First day at the Academy and Garret had found his soulmate, in SHIELD, he was lucky that he'd get to spend more time with her. 

"Yeah .. I'm .. I'm coming" Phil said in a hurry getting up. He was so lost in thoughts that he didn't even see everyone had already left. He quickly shoved his books into his bag, he didn't want to be late on his first day at training. 

As soon as he came out he saw the corridors were filled with students, hundreds of them ! Apparently someone had played a prank and set the fire alarms in two rooms got activated, so everyone came out in a hurry. He was definitely going to be late for class. 

While trying to make out of the crowd, he tried to walk as fast as he could, so fast, that he didn't approach a figure coming towards him, walking really fast. They both collided hard and fell on the floor. 

"Can't you see where you're going ? Wanna kill me or what ?" The girl said getting up. Her back to him and she was dusting off her long jacket immediately.  
Before she could turn around or he could speak he heard someone say "there they are" and a moment later, the girl was gone from his sight, as if vanished into thin air, and 2 guards chasing her. She was lost into the crowd and he was lost in his thoughts. 

"Can't you see where you're going ? Wanna kill me or what ?" The words echoing in his head. The exact same word he had been told 4 years back that, they'd be said by someone who was meant to be with him, who was his soulmate, his partner, his love of life. Yeah that's what the 16 years Phil Coulson had been told would be the first words of his soulmate, when he visited the fortune teller first thing, the morning he turned 16, as per tradition. 

Coulson couldn't move, he was stunned beyond belief, he had just encountered his soulmate, he had felt like air had been sucked out of him and that he'd be hyperventilating soon if he didn't try to breathe, but he couldn't, because he had just found out his soulmate and he didn't have any idea who she was or how she looked like. This part of the encounter struck him worse,he didn't know who she was, what she looked like. He'd fallen in love with her that very moment, that exact moment, he just knew he was in love with her,but he didn't know who she was. 

He slowly got up and made his way to the class, everyone giving him a stern look and a disappointment on the teacher's face because he was late, Phil Coulson, who was punctual, never late, always on time,always following rules , was late, and yet it didn't hurt him, it was nothing compared to the disappointment he felt regarding what had just happened. 

"Well seems like you finally have a sparring partner Melinda" the teacher said. 

Coulson didn't realise when a girl, not much tall, and rather looking very delicate and soft and timid came to stand beside him. Seems no one was ready to spar with her because she looked so delicate and feminine, but when Coulson looked up at her, she gave him a small smile, and he saw that fire in her eyes, the fire to prove herself, and he knew that this girl was nothing what she looked like. 

It didn't take long for that to be true when she managed to pin him all 3 times and went on to pin 5 more guys, much more sturdier and stronger than Coulson. 

"Hey Melinda, come join us, we're much more fun" a sturdy guy said. He had an expression that was clearly an indication of flirting and Melinda rolled her eyes and said "I think I've found a friend to hang out with" she turned to Coulson and smiled, putting her hand forward "hi! I'm Melinda May" 

"Phil Coulson" he said back, a small smile gracing his lips. After everything that had gone, it had felt nice to meet Melinda, atleast he had managed to make a friend, neither did he or she know that this friendship would last for decades, rather forever. 

\-----0000oooo0000-----

Coulson downed his glass of scotch at smiled at the thought. He did regret not having been given a chance to find out about his soulmate. When he tried to enquire about who was the one who played the fire alarm prank, Garret had told him that they never found out because apparently Director Carter had said that it was some technical glitch. 

Maybe his soulmate was still out there somewhere, she never tried to find him, so maybe she didn't want to be with him, he was happy the way his life had turned out, he had a bunch of young agents he could call his kids, he had a job he loved doing no matter how much danger and risk it entailed, and instead of a soulmate he had Melinda, his best friend, the girl he met the day he met his soulmate and was still here with him, by his side. Maybe she wasn't his soulmate but she was everything that a soulmate was supposed to be, his parter,confidant,wall of support,best friend .... Love ? Maybe, maybe in a life where he wasn't supposed to find one he was 'meant to be with', and she had married Andrew, though it didn't work out, but if she had that meant they were soulmates. 

"Drinking alone ?" A voice brought him from his thoughts. He looked up to see Melinda May standing there at the door. Who needs a soulmate when they can have a friend like Melinda May right ? Always there looking out for him. 

"Yeah ... Just remembering the old days" he said. He poured himself another glass and took a new one to fill it for May and rested the bottle on the table. 

He didn't need to invite her in, because she herself came up and sat beside him on the couch. 

"Old days ?" She asked taking a sip. 

"Yeah, I was thinking about our first day at the academy" he said. 

"You mean the day I beat you and 5 other guys like you, who thought I was petite and didn't wanna fight me ?" She asked, a smirk gracing her face. Coulson couldn't help the flutter of his heart at that, he did have feelings for Melinda, one that weren't pertained to friendship but one that couldn't be love. 

"Yeah that day but for your information, I didn't think you were weak" he said, a smile on his face as well. 

"I know, I was kidding" she said, and rested her palm on his knee, looking up at him smiling and said "you always had faith in me and trusted me" she said, a genuine smile on her face, one that filled Phil's heart with warmth. 

"I always will, anyways what's the reason behind this happy mood ?" Phil asked, his arm resting around her shoulders. 

"Nothing, I felt happy to see those new kids out there finding each other" she said shrugging her shoulders. 

"Yeah..." He replied, a little sadness lacing his tone, one which May noticed immediately. 

"What happened ?" She asked. Of course she'd know. It was like they were psychically connected. She'd need not even need to hear him say that he was sad before she knew he was. 

"Nothing... I just ... Forget it, I'm happy for them as well" he said. 

Noting that he didn't want to talk about him she nodded her head and they drank in silence. 

Suddenly he said "what did it felt like when you met Andrew ?" 

May looked up at him surprised with his question. "Nothing much, we went out on a few dates, felt we liked each other, there are very few like us in the world, so thought we should pursue a relationship" May replied casually. 

"What do you mean by people like us ?" Phil asked curiously. 

"Well people like me and Andrew, we never really got our soulmate predictions, some because they didn't want to, some because they weren't just interested or some because they didn't get any result in their prediction. I was amongst the one who didn't want to, not that I don't believe in it, but never felt like it" she explained. 

Oh! So that's why she had gotten married to Andrew, not because they were soulmates but because they never knew who their soulmates were supposed to be. Phil couldn't deny the small flutter of his heart when he found out Andrew wasn't May's soulmate but at the same time this meant her soulmate was out somewhere. 

"What were you thinking about our first day at the Academy ?" May asked suddenly, pulling him out of his thoughts. He knew that no matter how much she preferred dealing with reality, she did enjoy a bit of nostalgia and maybe she just wanted to divert the topic of discussion from Andrew.

"Usual stuff, everything that happened that day" Phil replied. 

"Oh!" She nodded her head, "I was happy that we met every day during hand to hand training before being put into the same class" she said smiling nostalgically. They were first put into various groups of classes for the first week before finally being put into permanent batches that worked together for 3 years.

"Yeah, meeting you the first day really cheered me up after a major disappointment" he said. 

"Really ? You didn't tell me this before" she asked now really curious. 

After that day of disappointment Phil had never spoken of his soulmate again. The girl who he had almost found but didn't. 

"Yeah... I was late for hand to hand class, that day, and everyone looked at me weirdly.." He said .. Pausing before looking at her with a surprised questioning look and asked "do you know that some senior I guess, played a prank and set off the alarms ?" 

"Yeah! If Peggy hadn't helped out I would've been a part of CIA working with mom now instead of SHIELD" she said snorting and shrugging her shoulders. 

What ? What ? What ?? What did she mean she'd be in trouble ? Why would she be in trouble ? She was a fresher, freshers don't play pranks on their first day, it was supposed to be some prank by seniors to irritate the newcomers right ? What was she saying. 

She looked at his confusion and replied "you didn't know ? even after having me known for so many years ? Of course that was me Phil, I had played that prank, I wanted to finish off the class fast so we could have hand to hand combat training" she said, a proud smirk in her face. 

Phil on the other hand didn't have anything resembling a smirk. He was shocked, beyond possibility. May had played that prank. It was Melinda May, she was here with him, had always been there with him, always had his back, always supported him,cared for him, just like .... Soulmates do!! 

"You ... You were wearing a brown coat" Phil said unable to comprehend the new information he had got. 

"Yeah that was Peggy's, it's cool to have an SO like her ... Wait .. How did you know ?" She asked him rather shocked. 

"You ... You ... I ... We .. We collided with each other in the corridor" he said, still surprised. That's why he didn't recognise Melinda when he met her in the combat class. She must've disposed off her coat and joined the combat class. 

"That was you ?? I was wondering who that crazy guy was who was walking without seeing" she said smiling, a small laugh integrated in that. 

But Phil couldn't smile, couldn't laugh, how could he have been so stupid, so foolish, somewhere in his heart he had always known that he loved Melinda May, just the fact that he was meant to be with someone forced him never to purse it, but he was with her, had always been, like fate had decided for them to be together. They'd been through life and death and were still together. He still felt goosebumps when she held his hand. 

"You said Can't you see where you're going ? Wanna kill me or what ?" He said, still reeling from the shock. Melinda was now confused and surprised and .... Concerned. 

"You remember what I said ?" She asked surprised. 

"Of course I would May, I have been waiting for those words since I was sixteen" he replied, trying to explain to her what he meant. 

May tried to understand what he meant, since sixteen ? What was he talking about ? Then it dawned upon her, the meaning of his words, she couldn't deny the way she felt her heart starting to beat faster, did he mean what she thought he meant ? Was she his ... Soulmate? May was never really interested in the soulmate thing, she had thought that if they were meant to be with someone they would just be, but she couldn't deny a sort of happiness that filled her heart at this. She always had feelings for Phil, she had loved him, since they had been working together, but he was a believer in Soulmates, and she felt he always wanted to find that someone so she never expressed her feelings, but to know she was his soulmate ? It was like fate had decided that they should be together, maybe that's why even Bahrain,New York and SHIELD's destruction and even GH325 hadn't been successful in keeping them apart.   
She first needed to confirm what he meant before reacting. She knew what she wanted, it was what she always did, but did he want that ? 

"Do you mean ..." She trailed off, waiting for him to complete .. 

"You're my soulmate May, I can't believe it took me this long to find out" he said, confirming her thoughts. Before she could reply he continued "I know that you're not interested in Soulmates, and maybe you don't even feel about me that way, but I know you are my soulmate, I have loved you May, even before I found out you're my soulmate, I have had feelings for you, I just never knew when to tell you and now .. Now when I know you're my soulmate, it just feels so right, us being here ... I understand if you don't want anything more than friendship, I ..." 

"I've did need any prediction to fall in love with you Phil" May said cutting him off. It was true. She had loved Phil, she didn't need to be told by someone about who her soulmate would be, because she loved Phil, maybe more than any 2 soulmates would love each other, they had always been in some form of love always, one that was based on trust,faith on one other, one that allowed them to break down,be vulnerable and let down their walls and façade in front of the other without the fear of them backing out, or judging them. 

"You love me ?" He asked with the goofiest smile possible. She was in love with a dork indeed. 

"Yes" she replied back with a small smile. 

"I love you too soulmate" he replied. She wouldn't refuse that she had blushed when he'd said that, because it was true, her heart fluttered when he said that. 

Melinda May, his best friend was his soulmate, he had loved her and now he knew why and she loved him back, he couldn't control how exciting that feeling felt. 

He looked at her to see her looking at him intensely, slowly he leaned into her, and found her lifting her head towards him, he captured her lips in his. Her lips were soft, and she kissed wonderfully. When he asked for her permission by brushing his tongue over her lips, he felt ecstatic when she gave in, and when their tongues collided, the world around them came to a halt, she tasted like scotch, but what the real thing here was that Melinda May, his Melinda May was kissing him. 

They slowly broke apart, and rested their foreheads against each other. A smile gracing their face, a contentment. 

They moved away and Phil rested his back on the couch cushions and Melinda May snuggled into him. He wrapped his arms tightly around her. Holding her, not wanting to let go, never wanting to let go. 

After a moment of silence Phil said "you know I always used to feel like my soulmate was near me, around me, didn't know she actually was" 

"I was in love with you since we worked together, but you believed in Soulmates and I felt you wouldn't reciprocate my feelings" May said. 

"I have always loved you too" he continued. 

They sat their in silence, taking in the confessions, the beauty of the situation. Phil felt that it might've taken him so long to find his soulmate, but she was never far from him, she had always been there, with him, for him. He might've let her go then, but he wouldn't again. Never.


End file.
